How to Find the Right Cosmetology College near Blue River Kentucky
Now that you have decided to become a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Blue River KY, the task starts to find and enroll in the best school. It’s essential that the school you select not only provides the appropriate training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be rather confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same kind of school. We’ll talk a bit further concerning that in the upcoming section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Blue River home. Tuition will likewise be an important consideration when evaluating possible schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not necessarily the right choice. There are various other qualifications that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s talk a little bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of programs are offered.
Definition of Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more beautiful with the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that numerous cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic can be anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you go through some form of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Blue River KY beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, after they have gotten experience and a customer base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own homes or will go to the client’s home, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many professional names and are employed in a wide variety of specialties including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As earlier stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those conducting more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Other people employed in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.
Cosmetologist Degrees and Certificates
There are essentially two avenues available to receive cosmetology training and a credential after completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) program, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs usually call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree ordinarily takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the major areas of cosmetology. Shorter programs are offered if you wish to concentrate on just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also most likely feature management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to manage a parlor or other Blue River KY business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are offered in such specialties as salon or spa management. Whichever type of course you choose, it’s essential to make certain that it’s approved by the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded organizations, including the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the benefits of accreditation for the school you choose in the following segment.
Online Cosmetologist Training
Online cosmetology classes are accommodating for Blue River KY students who are working full-time and have family responsibilities that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are numerous online beauty school programs available that can be accessed by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional cosmetology programs are frequently fast paced because many courses are as short as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you are not devoting numerous hours away from your home or travelling to and from classes. On the other hand, it’s important that the training program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a complete education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So make sure if you choose to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is available in your area.
Questions to Ask Cosmetology Trade Schools
Below is a series of questions that you will want to look into for any beauty training program you are contemplating. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Blue River KY home, together with the cost of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Below we have collected some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Program Accredited? It’s necessary to make certain that the cosmetology college you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for getting student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered in 41607 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a prerequisite for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Blue River KY employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each cosmetology college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Blue River KY salon owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Kentucky school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you choose a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your aspiration is to open a hair salon in Blue River KY, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting cosmetology techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty lessons you will be attending. Some schools have salons on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a beauty program provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends mainly on using mannequins, it might not be the best option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? Once a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s crucial that she or he gets aid in landing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide assistance develope relationships with Blue River KY businesses that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? Almost all cosmetology schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you determine what financial help may be provided.
Enrolled in Cosmetology School near Blue River KY?
If you have decided to attend Beauty School in the greater Blue River KY area, following is some interesting and perhaps useful information about the location of your new school campus.
Cincinnati metropolitan area
The Cincinnati metropolitan area, informally known as Greater Cincinnati or the Greater Cincinnati Tri-State Area, is a metropolitan area that includes counties in the U.S. states of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana around the Ohio city of Cincinnati. The United States Census Bureau's formal name for the area is the Cincinnati–Middletown, OH–KY–IN Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, this MSA had a population of 2,114,580, the largest metropolitan area involving Ohio and 27th-largest in the United States.[2]
The Census also lists the Cincinnati–Wilmington–Maysville, OH–KY–IN Combined Statistical Area, which adds Clinton County, Ohio (defined as the Wilmington, OH micropolitan area) and Mason County, Kentucky (defined as the Maysville, KY micropolitan area) for a 2014 estimated population of 2,208,450.[3]
The Cincinnati, OH–KY–IN, MSA was originally formed by the United States Census Bureau in 1950 and consisted of the Kentucky counties of Campbell and Kenton and the Ohio county of Hamilton. As surrounding counties saw an increase in their population densities and the number of their residents employed within Hamilton County, they met Census criteria to be added to the MSA. The Hamilton–Middletown, OH MSA was also formed in 1950 and consisted solely of Butler County, Ohio.
Enroll in the Right Cosmetology College near Blue River KY
Finding and enrolling in the ideal cosmetologist college is imperative to obtain the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A reasonable beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the institution and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Blue River KY.
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